ARSENAL NEED JOSE MOURINHO
Time is right for Arsene Wenger to take on Real Madrid job
NO DOUBT Jose Mourinho will ths week use the Old Trafford touchline as his catwalk, just as when Porto turfed Manchester United out of the Champions League five years ago.
That one result - and Mourinho's strutting - ultimately changed the face of the Premier League.
Before Peter Kenyon plucked him from Portugal, the title race was a straight shoot-out between Sir Alex Ferguson and Arsene Wenger.
Mourinho changed the whole dynamics of the Premier League. But while Fergie responded, Arsenal continue to suffer.
They've gone from Les Invincibles to Les Invisibles - with their fans doing a passable impression of Les Miserables as they scream for the manager's head.
The Emirates may be a palace of purist football but their last trophy was the FA Cup four years ago.
Arsenal have now reached a similar crossroads to the one Liverpool faced 19 years ago, a place where they are no longer immune to long-term failure.
The myth Arsenal are the ONLY team that plays beautiful football or the ONLY club that brings on young players is, frankly, ludicrous.
Wenger's transfer policy over the last few years has been a shambles and they must change direction unless they are to wither on the vine.
Which brings me back to Mourinho. A Portuguese contact tells me Mourinho is not entirely happy at Inter Milan and would like to return to England.
Another victory over United, another Champions League crown and a title thrown in and he will surely pronounce himself the Immortal One before moving on.
Rio Ferdinand has said Mourinho should be the man to succeed Fergie and he would certainly top Manchester City's wanted list.
Pecking
But one job has Mourinho's hand-writing all over it - successor to Wenger. Bobby Robson, Mourinho's guru, once told me there comes a time when an ailing team either has to change the manager to move on, or the manager has to change the make up of the team.
Wenger has palpably failed to replace the likes of Sol Campbell, Patrick Vieira, Dennis Bergkamp and Thierry Henry.
On that basis, the time has come for him to accept Real Madrid's long-standing invitation this summer and rebuild the Spanish giants thus paving the way for Mourinho to take over.
And shake up the Premier League pecking order once again.
Now get the News of World print edition for more from Rob Shepherd
This article has 10 comments
Arsenal fan are all mediocres and will ever remain. One was telling me they won Burn. and that is a signal they will win the CL.
Mourinho will never accept arsenal job because he has stated he is not interested in training Children which arsenal represents.
Keep hoping for the impossible till thy kingdom come oh mediocres.
Imagine their write ups, nonsense, no ambition, no determination to win and find success . all they clamour is beautiful nonsense.
By JOSE Joe. Posted March 10 2009 at 2:23 PM.
Change Mourinho for Wenger and Arsenal will take a serious risk of starting to win things...they should remain with the whinger.
By mike croave. Posted March 10 2009 at 4:41 AM.
All this talk of Mourinho taking over Arsenal or united is just ridiculas. Does anyone in the media remember why Mourinho left chelsea in the first place? It was because he fell out with Abramovich for playing boring 5-4-1 defensive football. Can anyone honestly see United or Arsenal putting someone like that in place? No chance.
Frank rikaard will be the next United manager,
By Conor. Posted March 9 2009 at 2:30 AM.
Mourinho would never be manager at the Arsenal. We may not have won anything for a while but we'll come good again and Arsenal have 1 thing that Mourinho will never possess - class.
By Mark . Posted March 8 2009 at 11:30 AM.
No way.
Arsene will get it right and Arsenal will be up there again.
The season isn't over yet!!!
By ian . Posted March 8 2009 at 9:38 AM.
Wenger has just clarified doubts about his future and one cant expect a man who has never broken a contract in his life to start now.
Moreover, Moaninho is the farthest shot for Manager of Arsenal. Not because he is a bad manager but because of his image. A manager is almost an extension of the club as far as image is concerned. Moaninho seemed right at home at Chelsea. Brash, arrogant and convinced of their invincibility.
Thirdly, Wenger is a proud man. He will not leave Arsenal until he proves that this team can challenge or win the premier league and/ or the champions league.
Sorry Shep, you need to try harder.
By Alex. Posted March 8 2009 at 8:42 AM.
i believe that no other world class manager would work on the budget that Wenger has .I know the team will challenge for honours next year and the F.A CUP and Champions leauge are still up for the taking .in Hill Wood we trust that he will keep Wenger.these only one Arsene Wenger
By masimba magwenjere. Posted March 8 2009 at 7:45 AM.
you live in another world...If Mourinho took over, he would demand 300 million for transfers and destroy the culture at the club. Arsene is the right man and the true supporter knows things will be better next season.
By Krishna . Posted March 8 2009 at 5:47 AM.
I think this article is a bit ridiculous, Mourinho would fall out with arsenal board at the first ask plus everyone is saying that wenger failed to replace players, the only way to replace the like of henry vieira and bergkamp would be through cloning.
Mourinho has had things fallen into place for him in his young managerial career But when things are going bad we see him jump ie. chelsea Arsene is the only manager who can cope with the arsenal boardroom.
By Omar. Posted March 8 2009 at 4:24 AM.
shep mourinho the so called great one never won the champions league at chelsea and never looked like he would ever do it and the first leg against man united was further proof of that the man is a myth he inherited a great team from ranieri at a time when man utd and arsenal were in a transitional period the money he spent on mediocre players at chelsea was nothing short of a disgrace he is not in the same class as wenger and never will be wenger has the ability to build teams from scratch and make them world class players he has proven time and time again he has won 4 f.a cups and three league titles and been to countless finals football is not about instant success and never will be just look at leeds united a warning to any football club if you compare wenger and benitez record in winning things in the time they have been here they have been more succesfull than alex ferguson he won nothing in his first 6 years its only the media and pundits who make wenger and benitez as the next managers to get the sack yet they are winners yet moyes has never won a trophy in nearly seven years and the same with o,neil he has won nothing at villa yet they are talked as great managers how can that be right?
By jimmy. Posted March 8 2009 at 3:43 AM.